Reinvigorating the nuclear enterprise is really all about knowing the rules and making sure to follow them, said the commander of the Air Force's newest major command.
That was the old Strategic Air Command adage "and in its simplest, most basic form, that's what reinvigorating the nuclear enterprise is all about," Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz said.
Klotz was the guest speaker Thursday at the annual meeting of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce held in The Vegas Motel in Minot. He also has been visiting with members of the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing at the Minot base since arriving there Tuesday.
The general is well-acquainted with the base and Minot community. He was commander of the 91st Missile Group, later redesignated 91st Missile Wing, from January 1995 to August 1996. Before that, he had assignments with missile units at Grand Forks AFB.
Klotz became commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, with headquarters at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, in August.
He told those attending the Chamber meeting the command was established as part of a road map developed by the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force to refocus the Air Force's energy on its nuclear enterprise.
"We've been presented some tough challenges with restoring the professionalism, discipline, excellence, pride and esprit in the nuclear enterprise. But the leadership of the secretary and the chief has given us the opportunity to 'get it right' and we (Air Force Global Strike Command) are committed to doing just that," Klotz said.
Klotz said the command's mission is to "develop and provide combat-ready forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations safe, secure and credible to support the President of the United States and combatant commanders."
Since the command was activated in August, Klotz said they have been focusing on building a model major command headquarters. He said that has encompassed tasks as simple as finding places for everyone to sit and buying office supplies to more complex tasks of putting together their inspection and crisis-action teams and holding mission transfer conferences with Air Force Space Command and Air Combat Command.
Air Force Space Command is the current command of the 91st Missile Wing and Air Combat Command is the current command of the 5th Bomb Wing.
Klotz said an extraordinary amount of work has been done to make the transfers a success but there's still a great deal left to do.
He said all eyes in the command are "firmly fixed" on Dec. 1, the date for assumption of the intercontinental ballistic missile mission, and then Feb. 1, the date for the assumption of the nuclear-capable bomber mission.
When the Minot missile wing becomes part of the new command Dec. 1, Klotz said airman with the missile wing will see very little change. "They'll work for the same flight commander, who will work for the same squadron commander, who will work for the same group commander, and so on up to the 20th Air Force commander. They'll use the same technical orders and the same manuals they have always used," he said.
He said the same goes for the 5th Bomb Wing when it comes under the command Feb. 1.
Klotz said what they will gain "is a single major command that focuses solely on their mission and serves as a single voice to maintain the high standards necessary in stewardship of our nation's deterrent forces." He said the command will advocate for their interests and needs and provide them with, as any major command provides their fielded forces, people, resources and guidance.
He said there's no doubt Air Force Global Strike Command has a commitment to the nation. "As stewards of the nuclear enterprise, we are given a special trust and responsibility to provide safe, secure, and credible nuclear and global strike forces."
He said the command also has a commitment to the airmen who perform those missions including the men and women at Minot AFB. He said they should know and have no doubt that the entire Air Force senior leadership is extremely proud of each of them and what they do every day.
He said the changes that are being done now "are not endpoints but rather milestones in a process of continuous improvement and pursuit of excellence," and that there are still changes ahead.
Klotz quoted remarks of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates when he spoke to airmen at the Minot base last December. He said Gates told airmen that handling nuclear weapons is a tremendous responsibility and it's the most sensitive mission in the entire U.S. military, and they are owed the attention, the people and the resources to do the job right.
With the leadership of the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, elected officials and support of their partner communities like Minot, Klotz said they will meet the challenges head on.
"We are committed to restoring excellence in the nuclear mission," he said. He said the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Missile Wing will be key players on the team as together they face the challenges ahead.
"This community's outstanding commitment and support are a key to our success," Klotz said, thanking community people for what they do for the airmen.
"We are extremely proud to call you partners as we defend our nation," he said.
